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ARCSYS Point Sources
Compact Arcane Energy This Fifth Force that people call magic is everywhere. Not only is it all-pervasive, it is powerful. So why, then, would a magical technology need to rely on creating small-scale sources of arcane energy? Simple: harvesting that energy is complex. Much like the Zero Point Energy that's part of the very fabric of the universe itself, harvesting that ZPE is complicated. When the technology or technique is available, it can be very powerful, but even then, how much can be tapped by that method may still be limited. This is where point sources shine. Unlike the ambient energy that is a challenge to attune to – and to draw from – a point source is an easily accessed, readily available power supply. Point Sources and You Which point sources are available will vary based on the campaign. A low or limited-magic campaign may have few or no point sources, while high-magic campaigns may have a variety of overlapping methods and techniques that reflect maturity of magical development. There are two general categories of point sources: Stored Charge and Channeling. Each has particular advantages and disadvantages that will manifest in similar fashions across genres and specific campaigns, with commonalities carried by the physics of Speculation's Arcane System. Stored Charge * Think of stored charge point sources as batteries, capacitors or reactor fuel pellets. The most common form here is an "Arcane Energized Crystal" (AEC), which will come in a variety of forms, including disposable, rechargeable, low-capacity to extreme-high capacity, and stable to volatile. * Some AECs may even be repurposed to "off-label" use, where a high-capacity volatile crystal might be charged and weaponized as a kind of explosive. * In other games, such as D&D/D20, magical devices that have a set number of charges before they're exhausted would likely be powered by a stored-charge point source. If the magic itself is solid state (i.e.; there's no "ammunition" used beyond the magic itself), then many devices can be instantly recharged simply by swapping in a fresh crystal. Channeling * Channeling point sources are devices that harvest arcane energy from the ambient field. Think of wind power, tide power... or Zero-Point generators. While these may eventually wear out, they will never run out. However, just like the limits on how much wind a sail can catch, every source has limits. * Channeling sources can be every bit as stable or volatile as point sources. Likewise, channeling sources may be tied to a charge-storage method to create a bank or buffer of arcane energy. More often than not, this provides burst capacity but makes for larger, more sensitive apparatus. * Due to their engineered, always-on access to arcane energy, even the low-power channeling sources are more complex, often more delicate, and invariably far more expensive. * In other games, such as D&D/D20, devices that have permanent spell effects or otherwise recover charges every day, would have the equivalent of some form of channeling point source. Campaign Magic Mechanics and physics are presented here in the Speculation ARCSYS rules, with naming conventions limited to practical description and categorization. Any of the items listed here will likely be refined and possibly modified to fit the nature of the campaign universe. For instance, "Example A" arcane crystal here may be used in both the alt-history [https://waftcam.fandom.com/wiki/Where_Angels_Fear_to_Tread_Campaign_Wiki '''Where Angels Fear to Tread'] campaign and the contemporary ''Shatter Frequency campaign, but in each case, Example A is rebranded and attributed its own discoverer or inventor in the different worlds. Arcane Energized Crystals A concept born time and time again, only to fade as secret or confidential proprietary systems were lost, Arcane Energized Crystals (AECs) have become the primary fuel and energy source for work to be done. * Capability per time * Capacity total * list * properties * hazards/toxicities Field Expedient Crystals For those whose devices or weapons are crystal-powered, the need for crystal production is second only to the need for air. Mages with a knack for logistics are masters at Field Expedient AEC production, and can make crystals out of nearly any substance. As a rule: the denser the substance the better, but here are the rules for producing crystals in the middle of nowhere. Channeling Circuits These are circuits or conduits that tap into ambient arcane energy, focusing it in a fashion where it can be used as a point source. Tapping at extremely low levels, a virtual low-voltage trickle charge, is very easy. Tapping for on-demand high energy becomes extremely complex and potentially volatile. * Capability per time/safe rating vs redline * Capacity total, if there's an attached reserve * list * properties * hazards/toxicities Category:System Mechanics Category:ARCSYS